1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a portable electric router and more particularly to a locking system operative to lock a motor housing of such a router which moves vertically relative to a guide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, such portable electric routers include a motor housing and a driving motor encased in the motor housing and having a cutting tool holding chuck rotatably secured thereto. The motor housing has a pair of hand grips secured to opposite sides thereof and is vertically movably supported on a pair of guide bars extending vertically upwardly from a base. When the router is used, a preselected cutting tool is mounted in the chuck and the base is placed on a workpiece surface. The motor housing is then lowered such that the cutting tool projects outwardly from the workpiece engaging surface of the base. The user of the router holds the grips and moves the router as desired to carry out routing and like operations. In previously known designs, it is common to provide means for locking the motor housing at a preselected downwardly extended position in order to maintain a position in which the cutting tool is projected from the workpiece engaging surface of the base for a desired depth of cut. In the conventional router, however, such a locking system has employed a lock screw for example, requiring the user to screw in or back the lock screw whenever the motor housing is locked. This results in a very cumbersome operation. Additionally, the user is liable to leave the router with the cutting tool still projecting from the workpiece engaging surface of the base notwithstanding the operation has been finished and therefore, the cutting tool may injure the user and/or damage the workpiece, or the tool itself may be broken. Further, when it is desired urgently to release the locked condition during operation, the user of the router has sometimes failed to act quickly, thereby incresing danger in operation.